Bhubaneswar From now on, secretaries will not sit in cabinet meetings. Instead, they will remain in an adjacent room and only enter if summoned. Even then, they will remain silent and cannot speak on their own regarding departmental matters. Only ministers are authorized to speak. Secretaries may respond or give opinions only if specifically asked.
This marks a significant change in the cabinet meeting structure. The powers of the secretaries have been curbed, and the importance of ministers has been elevated by the state government. Moving forward, cabinet meetings will follow this revised structure. Since the change in government, the administrative system has also undergone transformation, with checks being placed on the bureaucratic dominance. The government has clarified that elected public representatives—not officials—will wield decision-making power.
To implement this change, the Parliamentary Affairs Department has issued a new set of guidelines. Letters have been sent to all departments regarding the same. The instructions clearly state:
No issue will go to the cabinet without the Chief Minister’s approval.
Secretaries will not sit in the cabinet room; they will only come in if called.
Only the minister can speak on the department’s proposals.
The cabinet agenda must be finalized at least five days before the meeting, except in emergencies.
Proposals must be submitted to the Parliamentary Affairs Department three days before the cabinet meeting. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Without the Chief Minister’s approval, no proposal or agenda will be tabled in the cabinet.
Only the Chief Minister, Ministers, and the Chief Secretary will attend cabinet meetings. No other secretary is allowed into the cabinet room, although they must be present in a nearby room. If a proposal from their department is on the agenda, that specific departmental secretary may be called into the meeting—but they will not actively participate unless invited.
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